Volume 30, Issue 171, May 2026

The role of physical activity in sanatorium-based rehabilitation and its impact on health in older adults

Martyna Stanik^♦, Aleksandra Gronkiewicz¹, Anna Drużdżel², Dorota Szydłowska³, Angelika Juszczyk⁴, Ewa Bełc⁴, Anna Koman⁵, Zuzanna Janus¹, Martyna Kadłubańska⁶

¹Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
²Military Institute of Medicine – National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
³County Medical Center in Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, Poland
⁴Faculty of Medicine, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
⁵University Children’s Hospital of Cracow, Krakow, Poland
⁶Polish Red Cross Maritime Hospital, Gdynia, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Martyna Stanik, Medical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland

ABSTRACT

The global demographic shift towards population ageing has made something crystal clear. We need better ways to help older adults live independently and with a decent quality of life. Sanatorium based rehabilitation can be good solution because it combines medical care with regular physical activity what makes approach to health holistic. This review takes a closer look at the different types of physical activity used in sanatorium and it affects the physical, mental, and social health of people above 60 years old. It focuses on how different exercise programs can help prevent and manage things like sarcopenia, osteoarthritis, multimorbidity and functional decline. Physical activity is the key to improving musculoskeletal strength, cardiovascular efficiency, metabolic regulation, mental well-being and social engagement. Sanatorium based exercise programs are pretty important tool for encouraging to healthy lifestyle what can reduce the risk of disability for older people.

Keywords: physical activity, sanatorium rehabilitation, older adults, healthy ageing

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e88ms3855

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Published: 18 May 2026